Special packages for toy balloons and like articles



March 14, 1961 E. H. WALTERS SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR TOY BALLOONS AND LIKE ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2, 1959 ATTORNEYS March 1951 E. H. WALTERS ,974, 82

SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR TOY BALLOONS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lzyz INVENTOR [@w' 15. Vafers' ATTORNEYS United States Patent SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR TOY BALLOONS AND LIKE ARTICLES Edgar Hiram Walters, 80 Samaritan Ave., Ashland, Ohio Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,305 Claims. (Cl. 20645.33)

This invention relates to special packages for toy balloons 'and like articles and has for its general object the provision of a package in which the balloons are fixedly positioned for transportation and attractive display, which affords facility in placing the balloons in secured position within the package and which makes easy the removal of the balloons by the ultimate purchaser.

More specifically stated, it is the object of the invention to provide a package comprising a tubular envelope which may be a self shape sustaining carton or a flexible bag, both being at least to an extent transparent for purpose of display, and an insert for the envelope which functions as a carrier for the balloons, having recesses provided with closure elements, for receiving and securely retaining the stems of the balloons, the insert and envelope being so correlatively constructed and sized that when the insert is introduced within the envelope reaction forces are developed between the two members that cause the portion of the envelope contiguous to the closure elements to close them successively as the insert is moved into the envelope and to maintain them closed throughout the packaged status of the balloons.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an insert for toy balloon packages and the like, characterized by longitudinal stillness derived from the presence of an upstanding longitudinal rib, and integral base flaps extending outwardly from the sides of said rib in a common plane, unweakened by transverse cuts, the rib being provided with transverse slots extending across its top and depthwise into its sides, forming compartments each provided with an integral, hinged, upwardly opening closure flap, all opening in the same direction and having their free edges frictionally engageable with adjacent edges bounding said slots, to hold said closure flaps closed.

0ther objects of the invention will appear as the following description of two practical embodiments thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification and throughout the figures of which the same reference characters have been employed to denote identical parts, one form of the invention is illustrated in the group of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the special package containing the balloons, the envelope being a flexible transparent bag;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the insert blank in fiat unfolded state; and

Figure 5 is a detail view in section showing the mouth of the bag and the forward portion of the insert, or balloon carrier, in course of being introduced into the bag.

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The modified form of the invention is shown in the group of Figures 6 and 7, in which:

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a special package in which the envelope is a shape sustaining container; and

Figure 7 is a cross section taken on line 77 of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the group of Figures 1 to 5, the numeral 1 represents a special package embodying the inventive concept in which the envelope is a flexible bag which encloses the insert 3, the latter carrying a plurality of balloons in serial arrangement, which are visible through the transparent material of the bag. The upper end of the bag is closed or otherwise secured between the sides of the fiat folded stiff reinforcing member 4 which is formed with a hole 5 adapting the bag to be suspended. Access for the insert is through the lower end of the bag which has been referred to as the mouth and which is closed by a suitable seam after introduction of the insert.

The insert 3 in its set-up form, particularly shown in Figure 3, is formed from the flat cardboard or plastic blank 6 shown in Figure 4. This blank is longitudinally impressed with parallel fold lines 7-711 and 8-8a symmetrically disposed with respect to the medial longitudinal dimension of the blank.

The fold lines define a middle panel 10, intermediate panels 11 and 11a and base flaps 12 and 12a. In the folded state, the middle and intermediate panels form respectively the flat top and the inclined sides of a middle rib 13 upstanding from the common plane of the base flaps.

The blank is also stamped to form a series of pairs of cutouts 14 and 14a in the intermediate panels, bounded by the fold lines 8 and 8a, the cutouts of each pair being joined at corresponding sides by slits 15 and at the opposite corresponding sides being joined by fold lines i6 forming hinge joints, closure flaps 17 being thus formed which open in the same direction. It is to be noted that the cutouts do not extend into the lower portions of the sides of the rib 13 so that said lower portions are intact from end to end and thereby retain the longitudinal rigidity derived from the native stiffness of the cardboard. The basic flaps are also intact, that is to say, free from transverse articulation and are likewise of uninterrupted stillness throughout their length.

In the set-up insert the corresponding cutouts in the sides of the ,rib and the opening in the top of the rib which join them when the closure flap is in open position, form a slot or pocket 18 extending transversely across the rib adapted to receive the stems of the balloons or similar narrow portions of other articles, the base flaps constituting shelves which support the body portions of the articles.

Due to the inherent elasticity of the cardboard or other material of which the insert is made, after it is set up to form the rib 13, it tends to revert towards its fiat condition if left unrestrained, so that the base flaps spread in position of repose, to a greater extent than is shown in Figure 3, resulting in diminution in the height of the rib. The flexible bag is designed of such size in a transverse plane that it will contain the insert with its quota of balloons with such snugness as to tension the bag to such degree that it will lie substantially fiat against the back of the insert and in contact with the bodies of the balloons, which, although deflated and wrinkled, have an appreciable degree of resistance to being flattened. In a bag of this cross sectional dimension, it is necessary to reduce the overall width of the base flaps somewhat, by pressing them toward one another in order to introduce the insert into the mouth of the bag. After it has been inserted in the bag, the outer edges of the base flaps thrust against thecontiguous POI-.-

tion of the bag creating reactive forces which keep the flat top of the rib in pressed relation to the overlying face of the bag. The mild tension thus imparted to the bag minimizes the wrinkling of the material of the bag and the desultory reflections therefrom, greatly improving the visibility of the contents of the package, and also enabling the bag to exercise another important function as will appear.-

Prior to the loading of the balloons on to the insert 3, the closure flaps 17 of the blank are opened to give ready access to the pockets 18. The manner of opening the pockets is not material to the invention. It may be done manually, or preferably mechanically, but sufficiently to strain the material at the hinge joints 16 so that the closure flaps in repose will be in the upward open position shown. In packaging the balloons the packager may put the stems of two balloons together, the balloons being arranged oppositely, and introduce the stems together into a pocket, and this step may be repeated progressively until all the pockets are filled. The insert is then introduced into the mouth of the bag, the base flaps being squeezed together by the packager or by mechanical means sufiiciently to effect the initial introduction, and the insert being presented to the bag with the hinge joints of the closure flap in leading position, that is, toward the mouth of the bag. As the insert is progressively pushed in, the face of the bag is brought into tensioned contact with the top of the rib 13, the leading part of said face wiping against the closure flaps and depressing them into closed position, thus securing the pairs of balloon stems within the respective pockets. If desired, the closing of the flaps may be made positive by the packager moving a finger longitudinally of the bag in pressed engagement with the portion of the bag above the closure flaps so as to cause the free forward edges of the closure flaps to frictionally engage the adjacent edges of the slits 16.

The simple manual method of packaging the balloons herein described is by way of illustration, it being obvious that the procedure may be made more rapid by the substitution of readily envisioned mechanical means and sequences which are not part of the present invention.

It will be readily foreseen that when the balloon packages with flexible envelope are on display they run the hazard of being carelessly handled by a customer in such manner as to be stressed longitudinally into an areuate position so that if the insert were not rigid it would bend, causing the closure flaps to pop open, possibly resulting in the displacement of some balloons. The insert of the present invention is extremely rigid, especially when the base flaps are confined against expansion so as to maintain the optimum height dimension of the rib and also in view of the intactness in the surface continuity of the lower parts of the sides of the rib, and of the base flaps. The term intactness connotes the absence of transverse cuts or slits in the base flaps which characterize some known inserts and which are for the purpose of permitting the insert to be longitudinally warped to open article receiving pockets in the rib which are then closed by straightening out the insert.

The rigidity of the subject insert permits it to be completely loaded with balloons prior to insertion in the envelope simply by confining the base flaps against expansion and after inserting the stems of the balloons in the slots, moving the finger in a closing direction along the rib to depress the closure flaps into frictionally held closed position.

Now adverting to that modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, its distinction from the form already described is in the type of envelope employed, the inserts being identical. The tubular envelope as shown is a carton 20 of stiff material such as cardboard or plastic and therefore self-shape sustaining, having end closures in the form of tuck flaps 21, either end being openable for the introduction or removal of the insert 3. The carton is formed with cutout portions 22 and 23 in its top face laterally of the medial longitudinal dimension of said face, and extending part way down the face of said carton. These cutouts are glazed with cellophane-like material and afford display for the enclosed balloons. The cutout portions terminate short of the ends of the top face of the carton leaving stifi transverse borders 24 and 25 extending thereacross, and they also terminate short of the medial longitudinal dimension, defining between them a stiif longitudinal panel 26. The width and depth of the carton 29 are such that when the base flaps 12 and 12a of the insert are pressed together sufiiciently to enter the car-ton, the height of the rib 13 is increased so that its top presses against the underside of the central panel 26, and the stiff sides of the carton reacting against the base flaps hold the rib in this position.

The relation of the insert to the carton while the insert is being introduced at either end of the carton is essentially the same as that of the insert to the flexible bag as shown in Figure 5. If the closure flaps 17 are in open position, as shown in Figure 5, they will be forced down by engagement with the adjacent stiff border, 24 or 25 as the case may be, and pass under the central panel in closed position, being held in that position by said panel. After the insert is fully within the carton the packager may pass the finger with pressure lengthwise over the central panel to make sure that the free edges of the closure flaps are frictionally held by the adjacent edges of the pockets which contain the stems of the balloons.

While I have, in the above description, disclosed two practical embodiments of the inventive principle, it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that these are by way of example and do not necessarily limit the structural embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. Insert for special packages for toy balloons and the like comprising a sheet member of material having the characteristic stiffness of cardboard, folded to provide a longitudinal upstanding rib having a flat top, sides extending depthwise, and integral base flaps extending from the lower edges of said sides in a common plane, so spaced apart that when pressed toward one another from repose position the height of said rib is increased, said rib being characterized by the absence of transverse articulations below the plane of its top whereby said insert is substantially rigid longitudinally, said rib being formed with a series of transverse balloon stem receiving pockets opening through its top and in its sides adjacent said top, the side openings terminating short of the lower edges of said sides, closure flaps for said pockets integrally hinged to the top of said rib at corresponding sides of said pockets and frictionally engageable with the top at the opposite sides of said pockets for holding said flaps in closed position.

2. Special package for toy balloons and the like com prising in combination a carton and an insert therefor, said carton being of material of self-shape sustaining stifiness and of rectangular tubular construction, said insert comprising a member of sheet material having the characteristic stiffness and resiliency of cardboard, folded along predetermined fold lines to provide a longitudinal upstanding rib having a flat top, sides extending depthwise, and' integral base flaps extending from the lower edges of said sides in a common plane, so spaced apart that when pressed toward one another from repose position the height of said rib is increased, said rib being characterized by the absence of transverse articulations below the plane of its top whereby said insert is substantially rigid longitudinally, said carton being slightly narrower thanv the spread of said base flaps in repose position and of such depth. that when said insert is introduced the top of'said rib presses against the under side of the top of said carton, said nb being formed with recesses for holding articles opening in its top and sides, the top being formed with integrally hinged normally upwardly open closure flaps for said recesses allowing free insertion of said articles, all said closure flaps opening in a direction counter to the direction in which said insert is introduced and being depressable into closed position by contact with the top of said carton.

3. Special package as claimed in claim 2, said carton having transparent windows in its top face terminating short of the end edges of the top face, and also terminating short of the medial longitudinal dimension of said top face, whereby a stilf end margin is retained for depressing said closure flaps and a stiff middle portion for holding them depressed.

4. Special package for toy balloons and like articles comprising in combination a flexible transparent tubular bag having an access opening at one end, and an insert therefor introduceable into said access opening, said insert comprising a member of sheet material having the characteristic stifl'ness and resiliency of cardboard, folded along predetermined lines to provide an upstanding rib with flat top and base flaps extending outwardly therefrom in a common plane, said base flaps being so spaced that when pressed toward one another from a position of repose the height of said rib is increased, said bag being so sized that when its open end is conformed by the introduction of the insert with the articles, it is slightly narrower than the repose spread of said base flaps and of such depth dimension as to be tensioned into contact with the adjacent surface of said bag, said rib being formed with pockets for holding articles, said pockets opening along its top and opening in its sides adjacent.

said top, said top being provided with integrally hinged normally upwardly open closure flaps for said pockets allowing free insertion of the articles, all of said closure flaps being hinged at corresponding sides of said pockets and opening in a direction counter to the direction in which said insert is introduced and being depressed into closed position through contact with the tense contiguous face of said bag.

5. Special display package for toy balloons and like articles comprising in combination a tubular envelope and an insert therefor slidably introduceable through an open end of said envelope and constituting a carrier for said articles, said insert comprising a member of sheet material having inherent resiliency and shape sustaining stifiness and being folded along parallel lines to form an upstanding rib with flat top, depthwise extending sides, and base flaps in a common plane extending outwardly from the lower edges of said rib, said rib being characterized by the absence of transverse articulations below the plane of its top whereby said insert is substantially rigid longitudinally, said rib being formed with a series of pairs of registering openings in its opposite sides adjacent the top, the latter being formed with upwardly opening integrally hinged closure flaps cut out from said top forming slots joining said registering openings and all opening in the same direction, said envelope being so sized and shaped with respect to said insert and the articles that it carries as to press the top of said rib as said insert with articles is progressively introduced into said envelope, thereby depressing said closure flaps into closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,168,381 Dodge Ian. 18, 1916 2,518,711 Mulford Aug. 15, 1950 2,639,081 Metzger May 19, 1953 2,744,622 Sparks May 8, 1956 2,771,188 Coulter Nov. 20, 1956 

